Travel Insurance Advice

CraigUK · 10-12-2017, 02:09 PM

Just wondering if we have any legal experts on the forum who can assist with a travel insurance question.

In short I purchased travel insurance from my UK tour operator at the time of booking my holiday. They and their broker are regulated by the UKFSA, they proudly state this on their policy statement, in fact it's one of the first things they say.

Fast forward to the holiday and my wife has an accident and I contact the insurance company in phone and in writing and spend over £1000 on my credit card to get treatment for my wife. After 3 weeks with no response at all from the insurance company I get an email stating that my claim is denied as I did not seek prior claim approval which I did. It transpires that the insurance company are infact based in spain and not the UK.

When I hear of this I complained to the Spanish company but get no response. I also compain to the UK tour operator and their UK insurance broker who say it's nothing to do with them as it's the Spanish insurance company to blame.

Where do I go from now?

1. Insurance Ombudsman, they have no juridiction outside of the UK
2. Small claims court?
3. Lastly, I paid for the holiday, insurance and treatment on Mastercard. I have heard that they offer a certain level of purchase protection but unsure if there is any avenue to persue here.

Any ideas?

mikeoz · 10-13-2017, 01:49 AM

Well I'm currently in hospital in Cyprus with food poisoning or nova virus.. waiting for samples to come back. Never felt so ill. I'm with RAC so hopefully no issues.
Sounds like a bit of a con. Some sort of regulatory authority needs to know if they are claiming uksfa? May be they do have a UK office and can be sued\held to account that way..?
Hope you get right result anyway

ronime · 10-13-2017, 03:09 AM

Do you have access to a "free" legal advice helpline via your home insurance provider, as a benefit from your bank as a "premium" current account holder or perhaps via your employer?

Does this help? http://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens...s/index_en.htm

The EU single market was extended to include financial services/product in order to increase competition. As I understand it, anyone that wishes to sell insurance contracts in the UK still needs permission from, and is therefore bound by, FCA rules.

CraigUK · 10-13-2017, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikeoz

Well I'm currently in hospital in Cyprus with food poisoning or nova virus.. waiting for samples to come back. Never felt so ill. I'm with RAC so hopefully no issues.
Sounds like a bit of a con. Some sort of regulatory authority needs to know if they are claiming uksfa? May be they do have a UK office and can be sued\held to account that way..?
Hope you get right result anyway

Mike that's terrible news, here's hoping that you are on the mend and out of hospital soon to enjoy the rest of your holiday.

Looking at the full policy and all the detail and wording that goes with it it would appear that only the tour operator and their broker are regulated by the UKFSA and the other company isn't. Very misleading and probably purposely so!

CraigUK · 10-13-2017, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ronime

Do you have access to a "free" legal advice helpline via your home insurance provider, as a benefit from your bank as a "premium" current account holder or perhaps via your employer?

Does this help? http://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens...s/index_en.htm

The EU single market was extended to include financial services/product in order to increase competition. As I understand it, anyone that wishes to sell insurance contracts in the UK still needs permission from, and is therefore bound by, FCA rules.

Thanks Ronime, another couple of good points for me to explore. I'm not in the habit of giving up on things so they will have to accept that I won't just be fortgetting about the whole thing and 'going away'.

mikeoz · 10-13-2017, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CraigUK

Mike that's terrible news, here's hoping that you are on the mend and out of hospital soon to enjoy the rest of your holiday.

Looking at the full policy and all the detail and wording that goes with it it would appear that only the tour operator and their broker are regulated by the UKFSA and the other company isn't. Very misleading and probably purposely so!

Thanks. I'm still in but hopefully tomorrow I may get out. Hospital has been very good to be fair. Very comfortable also.
Problem now is my 14month old has started puking so wife has had to call for a doc to hotel. Praying she does not have to come in also..

Definitely misleading. And very dubious.

mikeoz · 10-14-2017, 12:01 AM

Tell me about it. Had it before. Went round the nick like wild fire I spent a whole week in hospital last time and it even killed a con that time who was left in a cell by Health care..
Anyway looks like it's some sort of Gastro virus but not Nova. Still hope to get our and my 14 month old has not had to come in which is good.

Thanks any way Lobb.

10-12-2017, 02:09 PM	#1
CraigUK Captain 126 Rep 641 Posts Drives: F11 LCI 520D Sport Tourer Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Durham iTrader: (0)	Travel Insurance Advice Just wondering if we have any legal experts on the forum who can assist with a travel insurance question. In short I purchased travel insurance from my UK tour operator at the time of booking my holiday. They and their broker are regulated by the UKFSA, they proudly state this on their policy statement, in fact it's one of the first things they say. Fast forward to the holiday and my wife has an accident and I contact the insurance company in phone and in writing and spend over £1000 on my credit card to get treatment for my wife. After 3 weeks with no response at all from the insurance company I get an email stating that my claim is denied as I did not seek prior claim approval which I did. It transpires that the insurance company are infact based in spain and not the UK. When I hear of this I complained to the Spanish company but get no response. I also compain to the UK tour operator and their UK insurance broker who say it's nothing to do with them as it's the Spanish insurance company to blame. Where do I go from now? 1. Insurance Ombudsman, they have no juridiction outside of the UK 2. Small claims court? 3. Lastly, I paid for the holiday, insurance and treatment on Mastercard. I have heard that they offer a certain level of purchase protection but unsure if there is any avenue to persue here. Any ideas?
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10-13-2017, 01:49 AM	#2
mikeoz Major General 2856 Rep 5,608 Posts Drives: BMW X3 M40d LCI Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: cambs iTrader: (1)	Well I'm currently in hospital in Cyprus with food poisoning or nova virus.. waiting for samples to come back. Never felt so ill. I'm with RAC so hopefully no issues. Sounds like a bit of a con. Some sort of regulatory authority needs to know if they are claiming uksfa? May be they do have a UK office and can be sued\held to account that way..? Hope you get right result anyway
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10-13-2017, 03:09 AM	#3
ronime Captain 344 Rep 834 Posts Drives: BMW X1 sDrive20i M Sport MHT Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: West Yorkshire, UK iTrader: (0)	Do you have access to a "free" legal advice helpline via your home insurance provider, as a benefit from your bank as a "premium" current account holder or perhaps via your employer? Does this help? http://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens...s/index_en.htm The EU single market was extended to include financial services/product in order to increase competition. As I understand it, anyone that wishes to sell insurance contracts in the UK still needs permission from, and is therefore bound by, FCA rules. __________________ BMW X1 sDrive20i ///M Sport MHT
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10-14-2017, 12:01 AM	#7
mikeoz Major General 2856 Rep 5,608 Posts Drives: BMW X3 M40d LCI Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: cambs iTrader: (1)	Tell me about it. Had it before. Went round the nick like wild fire I spent a whole week in hospital last time and it even killed a con that time who was left in a cell by Health care.. Anyway looks like it's some sort of Gastro virus but not Nova. Still hope to get our and my 14 month old has not had to come in which is good. Thanks any way Lobb.
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